


Christmas Cups

by Squarepeg72



Series: Out of the Box [14]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Baristas, Christmas Eve, Coffee Shops, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22064251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squarepeg72/pseuds/Squarepeg72
Summary: Ron tries to grab a quick cup of coffee on Christmas Eve, but things don’t go as he had planned.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis/Ron Weasley
Series: Out of the Box [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1073190
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18
Collections: Festive Friends Collection 2019





	Christmas Cups

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thescarletphoenixx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescarletphoenixx/gifts).



> My fourth story for our Festive Friends Collection is for thescarletphoenixx. Helping a stranger is the perfect way to spend the holiday. Ron and Darcy might not be strangers by the end of the story. Just how does he spread some Christmas cheer?
> 
> Thank you to GaeilgeRua for her beta help and all my writing family for their encouragement. Any errors after she looked it over are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone recognizable from either the HP world. I am not making any money off of this. (I usually for get to put this in)
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/148170750@N07/49308468901/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 

The coffee shop closest to Diagon Alley presented several problems for Ron. One - it was a Muggle shop. Two - He was in his work robes. Three - She was there every time he walked into the place. Four - It was Christmas Eve and the only shop open. If she wasn’t behind the counter making coffee, she was at the window sipping coffee and watching the world go by. Not to mention the fact that he seemed to lose his ability to speak when she asked him a question. He needed coffee if he was going to survive the paperwork that was waiting for him back at the Ministry.

He wanted to find out what more was behind her dark eyes, but she was a Muggle and Muggles were off-limits. Or, at least, they had been until late last year. Orders of Cooperation between the Ministry and S.H.E.I.L.D. had made a difference in his job as an Auror. He had more paperwork to do and more people who thought they could tell him what to do. That was the reason why he was headed to the coffee shop. Hiding from the paperwork and watching her. He didn’t have time to get to know her today.

* * *

Darcy could not seem to keep her head above water. Being offered the opportunity to run a small coffee shop in London had seemed like a great break from her research. The offer to rent the cute flat above the shop seemed like a plus, too. But, it was not turning out that way. Today was Christmas Eve, and she was the only one in the shop. The joys of being the boss.

She was always filling in for baristas that called in sick or quit five minutes before their shift or staring out the window to avoid paperwork. She could almost keep the regulars straight now, but there was this one fellow that kept changing his order. The only things that seemed to stay the same about him were his red hair and insistence on decaf. He never seemed to get much said other than his order. But, there was something about him that she wanted to get to know better. Just, not today.

* * *

Ron pulled the collar of his robes up around his ears. He had remembered to charm them to look like a Muggle jacket if he stepped out of the Ministry into Muggle London. The walk to the coffee shop was short, but the snow was falling at a fast pace. He would be walking back through slush by the time he finished his coffee. But, at least, he would have coffee.

Ron had never seen so many people in the coffee shop before. Every table was full, and people were standing around the counter. Unhappy people at the counter. Where were the baristas?

“Flat white for Ellie,” A familiar voice rang over the crowd in the coffee shop. “I’m sorry for the delays. There is just me here today, so please be patient.”

Ron worked his way through the crowd and watched his favorite barista try to do three jobs at once. She was doing fairly well, but the cups were backing up on the counter and tempers were starting to get short. Gathering up his courage, Ron stepped up to the counter.

“Do you need some help?’ Ron’s voice cracked as he pushed the words out of his mouth. “I have a little experience running a register and getting orders out. What do you need me to do?”

“If you can grab the register, I’ll keep getting the drinks.” Darcy sighed as she pulled the lever to add more steam to the drink she was making. “Sharpie is on the register to write up the drinks. Thanks!”

Ron and Darcy were soon working together like a well-oiled machine. He ran the register and set up the drinks. She filled the orders and charmed the customers. Soon, there were no cups left to fill and no customers at the counter.

“Happy Christmas,” Ron whispered as he watched her hand over the last drink. “I’m Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley.”

“Happy Christmas, Ron Weasley,” Darcy smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Darcy Lewis. And I think you are the best present I have ever received.”


End file.
